HANOI: A former surgeon was sentenced to death in Vietnam after he was found guilty of murdering and dismembering his mistress in a case that has shocked the country.
A local court of Dong Nai province in southern Vietnam convicted Danh Son for murder, robbery, and illegal possession of weapons and imposed the death sentence against the 37-year-old on Tuesday (March 18), local media reported.
Calling Son’s actions “exceptionally brutal”, a trial panel said he was a doctor with legal knowledge and was aware of the consequence of his actions, but still committed the crime.
“The defendant’s actions are extremely serious, infringing on the lives of others, disregarding the law and having base motives,” the panel said, according to national radio broadcaster Voice of Vietnam.
“Therefore, he must be severely punished and permanently removed from society.”
Under Vietnamese law, a trial panel comprising two judges and three jurors is tasked to preside over any case potentially involving the death sentence.
Son’s wife had offered to pay 100 million dong (US$3,900) as compensation to the victim’s family, which was turned down and not considered for mitigation.
An indictment seen by Voice of Vietnam showed Son had an extramarital affair with the victim, who was identified as N.
In March 2024, the victim informed Son that she was pregnant, asking him to take responsibility, or she would expose their relationship to his family and colleagues.
Son then invited N to his office at Dong Nai General Hospital on April 13. After the victim complained about fatigue, Son performed intravenous therapy for her, but secretly mixed sleeping pills into the drip.
After the victim lost consciousness, Son murdered her and cut her body into 11 pieces before disposing of them at multiple spots in Bien Hoa city, where the hospital was located, and the nearby Vinh Cuu district.
He also removed nearly 50 million dong (US$0.0020 million) worth of cash and gold from the victim, according to Vietnam News.
Son testified that he tried to put the victim into a coma just to pick up her phone and delete evidence of their affair. But the excessive dosage of sleeping pills killed her, he said.
“I sat there for over 30 minutes after N died. Then I decided to dismember the body to dispose of the evidence,” he told the court, according to the Vietnam News.
“I wanted to buy myself two more weeks before turning myself in so I could take care of my family.”
Dismissing Son’s claims, the panel said he had injected ten vials of sleeping medication into the victim and cut her throat to ensure she was dead before he dismembered her.
During a raid in April last year, police officers seized a revolver and five bullets from Son’s residence. - The South China Morning Post
